Cigar box blank

ABSTRACT

The cigar box blank is of rectangular configuration and is prescored. The tabs at the ends of the side rails are folded so as to define the end wall of the box while the center flaps are either folded to the outside of the tabs or are folded up within the tabs to form a steplike arrangement. The tabs are secured to the center flaps so as to remain in upright position.

United States Patent Leewood C. Carter [72] Inventors Warren Township; Edward K. Mullen, Westfield, both oi NJ. [2| 1 Appl. No. 833,059 [22] Filed June 13, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 23, 1971 [73] Assignee Book Covers, lnc.

Newark, NJ.

[ 54] CIGAR BOX BLANK 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs. [52] U.S. Cl ..229/34 HW, 206/4519, 206/485, 229/23 R [5l Int. Cl 365d 5/22, 865d 5/50 [50] Field ofSearch 229/32, 34, 30, 23 R. DIG. l2 DIG. 4; 206/4519, 48.5, 63

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [,8] 1,135 6/l93l Knowlton 229/32 2,588,455 3/1952 Adams 229/34 HW 2,797,854 7/1957 Myers et al. 229/30 3,034,697 5/1952 Frankenstein... 229/34 HW 3,520,468 7/1970 Wieman 229/34 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assislanl Examiner-Steven E. Lipman AImrney-Thomas M. Marshall ABSTRACT: The cigar box blank is of rectangular configuration and is prescored. The tabs at the ends of the side rails are folded so as to define the end wall of the box while the center flaps are either folded to the outside of the tabs or are folded up within the tabs to form a steplike arrangement The tabs are secured to the center flaps so as to remain in upright posi- 'llQlL VV V CIGAR BOX BLANK This invention relates to a box blank. More particularly, this invention relates to a blank for constructing cigarboxes.

Heretofore, it has been known to construct cigarboxes out of various blanks or individual pieces. In some instances, the boxes have been made from a single blank which is preformed and precreased so that various flaps and integral tabs can be folded inwardly of the box so as to form the walls of the box. Usually, in these cases, the flaps and tabs have been joined together by connection portions which eventually become disposed in the completed box upon folding of the. blank. Since these connecting portions have required certain shaping in order to be folded there has been a significantdegree of waste material excluded from these blanks during the formation of the blank. Thus, these blanks have been uneconomical. Also, since cigarboxes are usually constructed to contain 50 cigars, a filler or spacer has been placed in the bottom of the box in order to take up the equivalent space of two cigars so that three rows of 13 and one row of l I can be packaged. This filler, however, has usually been a separate piece from the cigarbox blanks and has usually been inserted manually. Thus, such has led to a relatively uneconomical manufacturing process. In other instances, the cigarboxes have been constructed of a multiplicity of loose unconnected components. In such cases, in order to form a completed box, the components have either been interlocked with each other through various tab. and recess arrangements or have been secured together by a paper covering material. In either event, the number of steps necessary to form the box have been numerous. ln addition, by using a multiplicity of pieces, such boxes have created a cumbersome condition for the assembling of the final box structure.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a blank which utilizes a minimum amount of material for constructing a box.

It is another object of this invention to construct a cigarbox from a single blank with a minimal number of steps.

It is another object of this invention to provide an economical blank which can beeasily and quickly formed into a box structure.

it is another object of this invention to provide acigarbox with an integral filler.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarbo with an integral prefolded filler.

Briefly, the invention provides a blank of rectangular shape which is precreased so as to be folded into a cigarbox having a base, side rails, and endwalls. The blank includes a base, a pair of hinged side rails each of which is connected with a pair of tabs, and a pair of center flaps about the base. The tabs are arranged as continuations of the siderails and are separated from the side rails by grooves and the center flaps by cuts. The

center flaps and side rails are separated from the base by scored creases. In this way, the center flaps andsidewalls can be bent at right angles to the base and the tabs can likewise be bent or folded over at right angles to the side rails.

In one embodiment, the center flap is further creased near the top end so as to be folded over the tabs when the tabs have been folded in fonning the end walls .of the box and the flap is folded to the outside of the tabs. The folded over portion is further glued to the tabs so as to maintain the tabs in an upright secure position. Further, in this embodiment, the center flap forms the outer exterior of the end walls of the completed box structure while the side rails form the exterior of the sidewalls of the box.

In another embodiment, at least one of the center flaps is provided with a plurality of creases so as to be folded over within the inside surfaces of the tabs to form a steplike arrangement or filler within the box. In this manner, a center flap can form a filler within the box in a prefolded integral manner. Furthermore, the center flap can be formed with a cutout portion which is glued or otherwise adhered to the tabs so as to maintain the tabs in an upright manner while maintaining the usefulness of the integral filler.

Once the cigarbox has been shaped out of the blank, any suitable covering material can be applied over the box and any suitable top piece can be hinged to the box to form a closure.

The side rails as well as the tabs are made of multi-ply structure while the base and center flaps are made out of a single ply structure. For example, the side rails and tabs can be formed by addingadditional plies to the initial ply forming the center blank. Consequently, once the sidewalls and tabs have been folded up into an upright position relative to the base, the final box structure is provided with heavier walls to resist the conventional abuses during transportation and use.

These "and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial fragmented perspective view of a cigarbox structure according to the invention;

FIG. 2, illustrates a view of the blank for constructing the box of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified blank according to the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective partial fragmentary view of a box constructed from the blank of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 illustrates another modified blank having side rails of a difi'erent ply from the remainder of the blank according to of center flaps 1 2 which extend from the opposite sides of the I base 11. The center flaps 12 are also of the same thickness as the base .11" and are separated from the base by prescored creases 13. Further, a pair of multi-ply side rails 14 extend from the remaining sides of thebase [l in opposite directions from each other. As above, the siderails 14 are separated from the base 11 by prescored creases 15 which are formed in the portion of the base 11 extending along' the beginning of the multi-ply side railsil4. Each side rail'l4 includes tabs 16 which extend out of the side rails 14 in the same direction as the centerflaps l'2gextend from the base It and which are hinged to the side rails 14 by plain or stepped grooves 17. Initially, the tabs l6'are'integral with the side rails prior to formation of the grooves 17'. Also, these'tabs 16 are sized so as to have a length L equal to one-half the width W of the base ll while the grooves lTare sized and positioned so'as to permit bending of the tabs lti'relative to the side rails.

Referring. to FIG. 5, while the base and center flaps are made of a single'thickness, the side rails l4'and tabs 16 can be made either of the same thickness or of a multi-ply thickness, for example, of two or three ply. in. this latter case, the additional thicknesses can be supplied by adhering, such as by gluing, additional strips of material over the side rails 14 and tabs 16. Also, in the case of a multi-ply construction, the side rails are subsequently grooved by carrying 'the blank through known machinery in order to allow this relatively thick material to be folded up to with respect to the side rails and ad joining tab without breaking.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, each of the center flaps 12 is further formed withcreases l8, 19 near the outer extremities which are separated by a distance which is substantially equivalent to the, thickness of the adjacent tabs 16.

Referring to FIGS. 1' and 2, in order to form the blank 10 into an open box 20, for example, for fonning a cigarbox, the side rails 14 are first turned upright about the creases l5 relative to the base 11 at approximately 90 to the base ll. Next, the tabs 16 which are now in a similar upstanding position with respect to the side rails, are bent at approximately 90 to the side rails 14 inwardly about the grooves 17. As noted above, as the tabs 16 are of a length which is equal to about one-half the width of the base 11, the two tabs l6'at each end of the box 20 abut each other so as to form a substantially smooth sidewall surface. Next, each of the center flaps 12 are bent abut the creases 13 out of the plane of the base 11 upwardly along the I ll I 0.084

outside of the bent tabs 16 and the outer ends of the center flaps 12 are bent about the creases 18 and 19 over the tops of the tabs 16 fonning the sidewalls of the box 20. As noted above, since the creases 18, 19 in the center flaps 12 are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the tabs 16, the extreme ends of the center flaps can be folded over and down the inner sidewalls of the tabs 17. Finally, the center flaps 12 can be secured, for example, by gluing, to the upstanding tabs 16 so that a secure upright box of unitary construction is formed.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein like parts have been indicated by like reference numerals as above, the blank 21 has a pair of center flaps 22 which are each provided with three creases 23, 24, 25 for forming a box 26 having a pair of steplike inserts or fillers 27 of rectangular cross-sectional shape therein. The first crease 23 is separated from the prescored crease 13 by a distance substantially equal to the distance between the remaining two creases 24, 25. In addition, the last crease 25 is spaced slightly from the extreme end of the center flap 22.

In order to construct the box 26, the side rails 14 are first bent at 90 'angles to the base 11 so as to form the sidewalls of the box 26. Thereafter, the center flaps are folded about the creases 13 and creases 23, 24, 25 to form the steplike inserts 27 within the interior of the box 26. That is, the center flaps are each folded at 90 angles at each of the creases 12, 23, 24, 25 so as to define a step having a hollow rectangular cross section with the base 11. Thereafter, the tabs 16 of the side rails 14 are bent at 90 about the grooves 17 with respect to the side rails 14 to abut the inside of the folded over center flaps 22. Then, the tabs are glued or otherwise secured to the inserts 27 so as to be held in a stationary upright manner forming the end walls of the box 26. As shown, the creases 13 would be placed so as to cause the center flaps 12 to hinge inside or outside of the tabs as may be desired, for example, substantially on the centerlines of the grooves 17 about which the tabs 17 are hinged to the side rails. 14. In this way, the tabs 16 can be folded inside or outside of the center flaps 12 without interfering with the folding ofthe center flaps 12.

Further, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each center flap 22 can be alternatively formed with a cutout portion 30 at a central area for securing to the inside of the end walls by the abutting upstanding tabs 16. For sake of simplicity, this alternate construction is shown and described with respect to one center flap only. Each cutout portion 30 is formed by die cutting the centerflap 22 between the creases 23, 24 so as to form a ton guelike cutout portion, for example, of about a 3-inch width. In use, after the center flap 22 is folded into the steplike inserts 27 with the cutout portions 30 remaining bent 90 from the base 11 and projecting above the upper surface 31 of the insert 27, the tabs 16 are folded up into the end walls. Next, the cutout portions and tabs 16 are abutted and secured, as by gluing, to each other. In this manner, the cutout portions 30 reinforce the end walls without detracting from the formation ofthe steplike inserts 27.

With respect to each of the blanks which have been described above, it is noted that both blanks are made from a single rectangular piece of material. Consequently, there is little or no waste involved with the manufacture of such blanks. The blanks provide four sidewalls of single or multi-ply material as desired for stiffness and protection and a single-ply base for economy and less shipping weight. Furthermore, it is noted that the center flaps are integral with the base while the tabs are integral with the side rails which in turn are integral with the base. In this manner, the single blank can easily be bent and shaped into the final box structure. Furthermore, the tabs 16 are separated from the center flaps by die cuts 28 which are formed in the side edges of the center flaps 12. Each die cut 28 extends inwardly of the blanks 10, 21 to the crease 13. In this way, a minimal amount of material is wasted while providing a means for hinging of the tabs and center flaps with respect to each other while being independent of each other.

t 15 further noted that the ups anding tabs can be secured to the upstanding flaps in either of the above-described structures by any suitable means, such as gluing, stapling, or any other suitable mechanical means.

It is further noted with respect to the latter box described above, that one end of the box can be provided with a steplike insert while the other end of the box has a center flap folded over the tabs as shown in FIG. 1.

The invention thus provides a blank for making a box, for example, a cigarbox, which uses a minimal amount of material while also utilizing a relatively small number of steps in order to form and shape the resulting box structure. The invention thus provides a relatively economical manner for forming cigarboxes.

The invention further provides a blank for making a box structure is open at the top so that any suitable cover can be hinged, for example, by a cover material to the basic structure. Furthermore, the completed box can be used as is for use as an open-top box structure. For example, the structure can be made into trays which are suitable for filling purposes.

It is noted that the blank of the invention can be of a rectangular or square shape provided, of course, that in the embodiment where the tabs are folded to the outside of the center flaps, that the tabs are of a length so as to abut each other. It is further noted that as the side rails and tabs can be formed of multi-ply thickness, the sidewalls of the completed box structure will be able to absorb more of the normal wear and tear to which they are normally subjected in use.

What is claimed is:

1. A box having a flat base, a pair of sidewalls upstanding from said base, and a pair of end walls upstanding from said base, each said end wall including an upstanding tab bent out of each sidewall and a flap bent out of said base, said flap being secured to said tabs forming each end wall, an integral steplike insert of rectangular cross-sectional shape positioned in abutment with at least one of said end walls, said insert including a cutout portion projecting above the upper surface thereof and secured to said tabs of said end wall for reinforcing said end wall.

2. A box as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base is ofa single-ply thickness and said sidewalls and tabs are of multi-ply thickness.

3. A blank of rectangular shape for a four-sided box having in erected position an integral steplike insert including a rectangular base, a pair of center flaps hinged to first opposite sides of said base, each said center flap having first, second, and third spaced, parallel creases therein to enable each center flap to be folded about said creases to define an insert of hollow cross section, said creases being parallel to the hinge line of the center flap, with the first crease being disposed nearest the hinge line and the third crease being disposed adjacent the edge of said center flap, a pair of side rails hinged to the other opposite sides of said base between said center flaps, a pair of tabs hinged to the opposite ends of each side rail, each tab being of a length substantially equal to one-half the width of each center flap, said tabs being separated from said center flaps for folding relative to said side rails independently of said center flaps to form end walls when in the erected position, and each said center flap further including a partial cutout portion disposed between the first and second creases for reinforcing the adjacent end wall.

4. A blank as set forth in claim 3 wherein said base is of a single-ply thickness and said side rails, end tabs are of multiply thickness.

i i l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,622,064 Dated November 23, 1971 Inventofls) Leewood C. Carter. et all It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 20, after "structure", insert which line 44, "13" should read l Signed and sealed this 17th day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ".1 P0-1050 [IO-59] uscomm-oc 60376-P69 Q U.SI GOVERNMENT FIIINTING OFFICE: "I! 0-36-334. 

1. A box having a flat base, a pair of sidewalls upstanding from said base, and a pair of end walls upstanding from said base, each said end wall including an upstanding tab bent out of each sidewall and a flap bent out of said base, said flap being secured to said tabs forming each end wall, an integral steplike insert of rectangular cross-sectional shape positioned in abutment with at least one of said end walls, saiD insert including a cutout portion projecting above the upper surface thereof and secured to said tabs of said end wall for reinforcing said end wall.
 2. A box as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base is of a single-ply thickness and said sidewalls and tabs are of multi-ply thickness.
 3. A blank of rectangular shape for a four-sided box having in erected position an integral steplike insert including a rectangular base, a pair of center flaps hinged to first opposite sides of said base, each said center flap having first, second, and third spaced, parallel creases therein to enable each center flap to be folded about said creases to define an insert of hollow cross section, said creases being parallel to the hinge line of the center flap, with the first crease being disposed nearest the hinge line and the third crease being disposed adjacent the edge of said center flap, a pair of side rails hinged to the other opposite sides of said base between said center flaps, a pair of tabs hinged to the opposite ends of each side rail, each tab being of a length substantially equal to one-half the width of each center flap, said tabs being separated from said center flaps for folding relative to said side rails independently of said center flaps to form end walls when in the erected position, and each said center flap further including a partial cutout portion disposed between the first and second creases for reinforcing the adjacent end wall.
 4. A blank as set forth in claim 3 wherein said base is of a single-ply thickness and said side rails, end tabs are of multi-ply thickness. 